Aboriginal cultural awareness training: policy v. accountability - failure in reality

Despite 42 years progress since the 1967 referendum enabling laws to be made covering Aboriginal Australians their poor health status remains and is extensively documented. This paper presents results of a study into Cultural Awareness Training (CAT) in New South Wales and specifically South West Sydney Area Health Service (SWSAHS) with the aim of improving long-term health gains. The evidence demonstrates poor definition and coordination of CAT with a lack of clear policy direction and accountability for improving cultural awareness at government level. In SWSAHS staff attendance at training is poor and training is fragmented across the Area. The paper proposes actions to improve Aboriginal cultural awareness for health professionals including incorporating Aboriginal CAT into broader based Cross Cultural Training (CCT). What is known about the topic? Cross-cultural education programs for both Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal health industry staff are poorly coordinated, delivered and evaluated. There is recognition that improvements in this area could bring real enhancements in service delivery and health outcomes. What does this paper add? The deficiencies in Aboriginal CAT programs in general are explored and specifically identified in one large NSW health area with a major urban Aboriginal population. This paper reviews CAT themes in the literature and evaluates the effectiveness of known programs. What are the implications for practitioners? The authors list a series of recommendations that have the potential to improve awareness of Aboriginal cultural issues to provide a basis for development of effective and comprehensive CAT programs to bring real improvements in service delivery.

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“Stepping out of the ordinary”: exploring cross-cultural challenges of expatriates in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

Rajagiri Management Journal ◽

10.1108/ramj-01-2021-0004 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽

Author(s):

Oscar Dousin ◽

Rini Suryati Sulong

Keyword(s):

Saudi Arabia ◽

Cultural Values ◽

Cultural Awareness ◽

Culture Shock ◽

Cross Cultural ◽

Cultural Issues ◽

Kingdom Of Saudi Arabia ◽

Cultural Training ◽

Content Type ◽

Cross Cultural Training

Purpose In the study of expatriation and expatriate adaptation, there are limited studies that focus on issues faced by expatriates working in foreign countries with very distinct cultures. This study aims to explore this idea through the experiences of western expatriates working in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). Two research questions were posed to examine the cross-cultural issues and challenges faced by expatriates in the KSA, as well as the role of cross-cultural training in expatriate adjustment. Design/methodology/approach The study was guided by an interpretivism paradigm through a qualitative method by using a semi-structured in-depth interview approach. Interviews were conducted among 12 expatriates from the USA and UK who are currently working in KSA. Findings A coding technique and theoretical thematic analysis was conducted to analyze the data. The results of this study highlighted three key themes that had a considerable influence on expatriates’ adjustment, in particular: culture shock, lack of pre-departure training and the demand for an extensive cross-cultural training. Research limitations/implications It is acknowledged that the existence of sub-cultures within the KSA would expose the respondents to varying cultural values within the community. Thus, future studies within a similar context should consider the influence of intra-cultural variations. Originality/value The findings of the study emphasized on the importance understanding the cultural gap between home and host country and the individual cultural awareness of the expatriate. It calls attention to the need for a tailored and extensive pre-departure, cross-cultural training and a collaborative effort between employees’ and managers to improve expatriates’ motivation and retention.

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Cross-cultural Training and Second Language Learning

Asian Education Studies ◽

10.20849/aes.v2i3.176 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 2 (3) ◽

pp. 1

Author(s):

Zhonghao Zhou

Keyword(s):

Language Learning ◽

Cultural Awareness ◽

Second Language Learning ◽

Language Use ◽

Cross Cultural ◽

Cultural Training ◽

Cross Cultural Training ◽

Complex Process ◽

Culture Teaching ◽

Culture And Language

Culture and language are inseparable, and cultures as groups adopt particular practices and norms of behavior. Culture teaching is a long and complex process concerning something more than language use itself. The two popular theories influencing practice today are the Constructivist and the Creative Constructionist approaches, and the technique for conveying cultural awareness is cultural assimilator, which has been designed for specific cultures around the world. Cross-cultural training can be used to promote cultural awareness, that is, sensitize people to the influence of culture on people’s values and behaviors and help them recognize and accept the existence of cultural differences.

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Managing Intercultural Service Encounters

Cross-Cultural Interaction ◽

10.4018/978-1-4666-4979-8.ch071 ◽

2014 ◽

pp. 1249-1264

Author(s):

Suvenus Sophonsiri ◽

G. Barry O’Mahony

Keyword(s):

Service Delivery ◽

Competitive Advantage ◽

Service Sector ◽

Business Environment ◽

Cross Cultural ◽

Service Encounters ◽

Cultural Training ◽

International Service ◽

Cross Cultural Training ◽

Service Standards

Global service sector growth and the contracting out of services have produced a complex business environment that has major challenges for corporate success. Nowhere is this more evident than in intercultural service encounters where the delivery of service standards has become integral to developing a competitive advantage and inducing customer loyalty. This chapter identifies the various aspects of service delivery that are significantly influenced by culture. The chapter explains the dimensions of culture that have been found by cross-cultural researchers to be essential to service delivery success and describes how cross cultural training can be used effectively in the international service sector.

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Dealing With Cross-Cultural Issues in Culturally Diverse Classrooms

Multicultural Instructional Design ◽

10.4018/978-1-5225-9279-2.ch055 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 1170-1186

Author(s):

Joost Bücker ◽

Rens Bouw ◽

Alain De Beuckelaer

Keyword(s):

Cultural Differences ◽

Research Universities ◽

Cultural Awareness ◽

Culturally Diverse ◽

Business Schools ◽

Institutional Support ◽

Cross Cultural ◽

Cultural Issues ◽

Diverse Classrooms ◽

Teachers And Students

This study examines the extent to which faculties receive support in their coping with the challenge of cultural differences in their international classroom. The authors explore this relationship in eight business schools in Dutch research universities. These cases offer an in-depth description of the problems encountered in cross-cultural interactions, such as development of monocultural groups, lack of proper foreign language understanding, and stereotyping. They also discuss potential solutions in terms of language training, cultural awareness training for both teachers and students, institutional support, and the business school's rationale for internationalization.

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Aboriginal health promotion through addressing employment discrimination

Australian Journal of Primary Health ◽

10.1071/py14035 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 20 (4) ◽

pp. 384 ◽

Cited By ~ 8

Author(s):

Angeline S. Ferdinand ◽

Yin Paradies ◽

Ryan Perry ◽

Margaret Kelaher

Keyword(s):

Health Promotion ◽

Training Program ◽

Cultural Competency ◽

Cultural Awareness ◽

Torres Strait Islander ◽

Aboriginal Health ◽

Awareness Training ◽

Participant Understanding ◽

And Training ◽

Torres Strait Islander Health

The Localities Embracing and Accepting Diversity (LEAD) program aimed to improve the mental health of Aboriginal Victorians by addressing racial discrimination and facilitating social and economic participation. As part of LEAD, Whittlesea Council adopted the Aboriginal Employment Pathways Strategy (AEPS) to increase Aboriginal employment and retention within the organisation. The Aboriginal Cultural Awareness Training Program was developed to build internal cultural competency and skills in recruiting and retaining Aboriginal staff. Analysis of surveys conducted before (pre; n = 124) and after (post; n = 107) the training program indicated a significant increase in participant understanding across all program objectives and in support of organisational policies to improve Aboriginal recruitment and retention. Participants ended the training with concrete ideas about intended changes, as well as how these changes could be supported by their supervisors and the wider organisation. Significant resources have since been allocated to implementing the AEPS over 5 years. In line with principles underpinning the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Plan 2013–23, particularly the focus on addressing racism as a determinant of health, this paper explores the AEPS and training program as promising approaches to health promotion through addressing barriers to Aboriginal employment. Possible implications for other large organisations are also considered.

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'I don't know why they don't come': barriers to participation in cardiac rehabilitation

Australian Health Review ◽

10.1071/ah09803 ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 34 (4) ◽

pp. 452 ◽

Cited By ~ 18

Author(s):

Michelle L. DiGiacomo ◽

Sandra C. Thompson ◽

Julie S. Smith ◽

Kate P. Taylor ◽

Lynette A. Dimer ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Cardiac Rehabilitation ◽

Health Professionals ◽

Cultural Awareness ◽

Aboriginal People ◽

Aboriginal Health ◽

Health Staff ◽

Participation Rates ◽

Awareness Training ◽

Institutional Barriers ◽

Aboriginal Australians

Objectives. To describe health professionals’ perceptions of Aboriginal people’s access to cardiac rehabilitation (CR) services and the role of institutional barriers in implementing the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) guidelines Strengthening Cardiac Rehabilitation and Secondary Prevention for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. Design. Qualitative study. Setting. Metropolitan and rural tertiary and community-based public CR services and Aboriginal health services in WA. Participants. Thirty-eight health professionals working in the CR setting. Method. Semistructured interviews were undertaken with 28 health professionals at public CR services and 10 health professionals from Aboriginal Medical Services in WA. The participants represented 17 services (10 rural, 7 metropolitan) listed in the WA Directory of CR services. Results. Emergent themes included (1) a lack of awareness of Aboriginal CR patients’ needs; (2) needs related to cultural awareness training for health professionals; and (3) Aboriginal health staff facilitate access for Aboriginal patients. Conclusions. Understanding the institutional barriers to Aboriginal participation in CR is necessary to recommend viable solutions. Promoting cultural awareness training, recruiting Aboriginal health workers and monitoring participation rates are important in improving health outcomes. What is already known about this subject? Significant health and social inequity exists for Aboriginal Australians. Despite the persisting high rates of morbidity and mortality related to cardiovascular disease in Aboriginal Australians, participation rates in cardiac rehabilitation remain low. What does this paper add? Despite widespread dissemination of NHMRC guidelines, there remains a disconnect between CR health professionals’ understandings and practices and the needs of Aboriginal people in WA. Increasing the volume and quality of cultural awareness training as well as access to Aboriginal health professionals are crucial in addressing this disparity. What are the implications for practitioners? Increasing the number and support of Aboriginal people trained as health professionals will assist the system to respond better to the needs of communities. Collaborative partnership models where Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal health professionals work together to increase mutual understanding are warranted.

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“I’m Not from the Dominant Culture!”

Cross-Cultural Considerations in the Education of Young Immigrant Learners - Advances in Educational Technologies and Instructional Design ◽

10.4018/978-1-4666-4928-6.ch009 ◽

2014 ◽

pp. 144-161

Author(s):

Joan Oigawa Aus

Keyword(s):

English Language Learners ◽

Public Schools ◽

Cultural Awareness ◽

Culturally Relevant ◽

Immigrant Students ◽

Cross Cultural ◽

Cultural Issues ◽

Dominant Culture ◽

Mainstream Teachers ◽

Large Growth

The United States has experienced a large growth in the number of immigrant students who speak English as a non-native language. The results of a 2004 survey on the topic of English Learners (ELs) or English Language Learners (ELLs) showed the number of ELs had almost doubled to 5,119,561 in public schools across the nation (NCELA, 2008). These ELLs bring their cross-cultural expectations into dominant culture classrooms, and teachers must be prepared to meet the cross-cultural issues between student and teacher that might occur, where ultimately the student loses. Similarly, North Dakota has experienced enormous surges in its ELL populations in its previously culturally homogenous population; consequently, mainstream teachers struggle to learn how to interact with culturally diverse students. Instances of cultural dissonance negatively impact students’ performance and school culture. The awareness of culture and how it impacts content learning is thus a subject of critical importance, and developing cultural awareness as well as effective and culturally relevant instructional methods is a necessity for all classroom teachers. Therefore, this chapter describes multiple methods and strategies that are linguistically appropriate and culturally relevant for all teachers, but particularly for teachers of ELLs.

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The Need to Extend Beyond the Knowledge Gained in Cross-Cultural Awareness Training

The Australian Journal of Indigenous Education ◽

10.1375/s1326011100000405 ◽

2008 ◽

Vol 37 (S1) ◽

pp. 81-89 ◽

Cited By ~ 11

Author(s):

Bronwyn Fredericks

Keyword(s):

Cultural Awareness ◽

Torres Strait Islander ◽

Health Sector ◽

Cross Cultural ◽

Awareness Training ◽

Torres Strait Islander People ◽

Aboriginal Women ◽

Torres Strait ◽

Selection Of ◽

Improve Service Delivery

Abstract In the Health sector, Cross-Cultural Awareness Training has been seen as a way to improve knowledge and understanding of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to therefore improve service delivery and therapeutic care to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Health personnel may have undertaken this type of training in their workplace or as part of their education in an undergraduate degree program. Other sectors additionally undertake Cross-Cultural Awareness Training for similar reasons and in similar educational settings. This paper includes the views of a selection of Aboriginal women and highlights the need to extend beyond knowledge gained through Cross-Cultural Awareness Training to Anti-Racism Training. Furthermore, that Anti-Racism Training and addressing white race privilege is required in order to address the inequities within the health system, the marginalisation and disempowerment of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

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